London and Overseas Freighters
| Industry | Ship transport |
|---|---|
| Fate | taken over |
| Predecessor | Counties Ship Management |
| Successor | Frontline Shipping AB |
| Founded | 8 April 1948 |
| Founder |
John Kulukundis, Basil Mavroleon |
| Defunct | 1997 |
| Headquarters |
Balfour Place, London W1, England (1948–84) |
|
Key people
|
"Bluey" Mavroleon, Eddie Kulukundis, Miles Kulukundis |
Balfour Place, London W1, England (1948–84)
Fetter Lane, London EC4, England (1984–92)
London & Overseas Freighters Ltd. (LOF) was an ocean-going merchant shipping company that for most of its history was based in the United Kingdom.
In 1920 Manuel Kulukundis from the Aegean island of Kasos and his cousin Minas Rethymnis founded a shipbroking business in London, England. In 1934 Rethymnis & Kulukundis Ltd. (R&K) branched into shipowning, establishing a nominally separate company to own each ship. From 1934 they managed the ships under the name of Counties Ship Management Ltd (CSM). Some R&K companies grew to own more than one ship, all of which were under CSM management.
In the Second World War from 1940 onwards CSM was controlled by the Ministry of War Transport. CSM lost several ships in the war and others were damaged. In about 1946 CSM companies began replacing its losses by buying seven Liberty ships from the UK Government.
In 1948–49 ten ships from CSM companies were transferred to found a new R&K company, London & Overseas Freighters Ltd. However, in 1950 the CSM fleet was radically expanded with 34 Canadian "Fort and Park" ships.
In the 1950s LOF became the main R&K company and the CSM fleet was reduced in size. Its last ship was MV Port Campbell, which CSM took over in 1966 and renamed Kings Reach. CSM's history effectively ended with her sale in 1970.
On 8 April 1948 the cousins founded a new company, London & Overseas Freighters Ltd, with the intention of owning tramp oil tankers. However, in 1949–50 LOF took over the dry cargo fleets of three R&K companies: Dorset Steamship Co Ltd, Putney Hill Steamships Co Ltd and Tower Steamship Co Ltd. In order to give the merged fleets a single "house" identity, LOF renamed all of its ships, giving each one a name beginning with "London".
Pentridge Hill, built in 1941 by Bartram & Sons for Dorset Steamships became London Dealer. The freighter Richmond Hill, built in 1940 by Bartram & Sons in Sunderland for Putney Hill Steamships became London Craftsman. The freighters Coombe Hill and Tower Hill, built by William Doxford & Sons in Sunderland for Putney Hill Steamships in 1942, became LOF's London Artisan and London Banker respectively.
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